Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
It’s rare that you see a Mercedes-Benz 300E with the 5-speed manual gearbox (a short-lived option in the US market). We saw this W124 back in July and it’s up for sale again, with a few hundred more miles on the clock. If a 500E is a little to rich for your blood but you prefer to row your own gears, this E-class could sate your appetite.
The Mercedes-Benz W124 E-class came in many shapes and styles, from the stately four-seat cabriolet to the muscular Porsche built 500E/E500. After we featured the low mileage 1986 300E last week, I was surprised to see yet another mint example of an early W124 crop up, this time in Florida in the classic combination of Brilliant Silver over blue leather. This car might be 30 years old, but it’s certainly a classic that could be used daily and in the process, provide motoring pleasure hard to match from many modern day machines.
When discussing rare cars of the recent past, something I often find myself doing with friends, one has to mention the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate. Quicker, more dynamic, and slightly sharper looking than the E55 that it replaced, the 2007 E63 is on many an automotive enthusiast’s bucket list, including my own. To have such great power on tap, in a relatively non-imposing package that is also very practical for day to day life, well it’s a drivers dream come true. The only problem is that Mercedes only saw fit to bestow 67 of them upon us in 2007, a fact that this seller, and many others surely relish. Since there is no direct competition for the car in the United States, and it was sold here in very limited quantities, Mercedes essentially guaranteed buyers of the E63 that their car would retain a decent amount of value. It’s not BMW 1M or Boxster Spyder levels of value retention, but for a big Merc wagon I’d say that the drop off hasn’t been nearly as bad as other W211 models. Only time will tell if it can hold on its current collector status once the glorious day arrives when we can import the C6 RS6 Avant, and E61 M5 Touring. Until 2032, we’re stuck with just the E63, and I don’t think anyone has any complaints about that. It’s a car that is laughably quick, and in spite of itself, a complete sleeper. Until you stomp on the gas and leave everyone around you wondering what just happened, the E63 AMG Estate is just another wagon roaming the streets looking for a Pinkberry.
It’s always nice when you come across low mileage classic Mercedes-Benzes, but when I read the sellers description as to why he was selling, all I could do was shake my head in disbelief and think “kids these days.” If I was just learning how to drive, I would be more than pleased to be handed the keys to something so durable and timeless as the first E-class. Having grown up with a W124, I can say without a doubt that a car like this could give a young driver an appreciation for motoring that newer cars simply couldn’t replicate. While some might say that an older car wouldn’t be safe for a new driver, a Mercedes-Benz like this was light years ahead of the competition in terms of safety and would be able to compete favorable with many modern day machines. With just over 50,000 miles on the odometer, this 300E for sale in Florida has a lot of life left in it.
When talking import convertibles from the 1990s, the conversation has to start with a Mercedes-Benz. Whether it’s the SL, E-Class, or even the SLK, Mercedes ruled the luxury droptop market from the day MC Hammer told us we couldn’t touch this, to the day we all realized computers could in fact count past 2000. Neither Audi, nor BMW had a competitor for the SL or E-Class, the closest competition came from Sweden in the form of the SAAB 900 convertible. As is usually the case with SAAB, the car was popular within a niche market, whereas Mercedes’ convertibles cemented themselves in pop culture again and again. As wonderful as the R129 SL is, I’ve always favored the W124 cabriolet over it, and I never much cared for the SLK. Among the many great drop tops to come out of Stuttgart, I’d place the ’92-’97 E-Class in the top five. It perfectly embodies what Mercedes was all about when they were at their best, comfort, luxury, understated style. Nothing about the W124 cries out for attention, the design simply draws you in because it’s timeless. Mercedes hadn’t offered such a car since the ’71 280SE, and the return of a two door, four seat convertible was welcomed by consumers with open wallets. Now here we are 20 years later and the W124 cabriolet is still turning heads, still commanding a pretty premium. This Brilliant Emerald over Parchment leather example look to be a very solid example, but is it worth classic 911 money?
